Final Fantasy XIII: Darkness Light
by skylight96
Summary: Darkness had been nothing but my companion ever since the day I was born. Blinding from the light around me as I fell deeply into the shadows surround my existence but yet… light could still reach me since the day I meet her… my light… My name is Adrian Heathcliff and this is my story…
1. Prologue: Beginning of Fate

_**Final Fantasy XIII:**_

_**Darkness Light**_

_**By**_

_**Skylight96**_

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_**Summary:**_

Darkness had been nothing but my companion ever since the day I was born. Blinding from the light around me as I fell deeply into the shadows surround my existence but yet… light could still reach me since the day I meet her… my light…

My name is Adrian Heathcliff and this is my story…

_**Disclaimer:**_

I don't own Final Fantasy XIII

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_**Prologue:**_

_**Beginning of Fate**_

…

Cocoon…

The utopia in the heavens skies…

Its inhabitants believed their world was paradise, locating high above the other below them as if it was real a heaven to them, forgetting the real meaning of life as they were blind by the peace and the prosperity given by Cocoon.

Mankind worship their gods, the protectors known as the benevolent fal'Cie and believed the tranquillity of the day continued forever as long as they have their gods by their side…

-but they were wrong…

They hope of endless peace was shattered by one hostile fal'Cie.

The moment the curse fal'Cie from the Pulse, the feared and detested lowerworld below their heaven awaken from it deep slumber, the peace of Cocoon had come to the end.

Fal'Cie cursed their humans, turning them into their faithful servants…

Into l'Cie, the chosen one from the fal'Cie…

A curse falls upon them as they were burden by the Focus, facing the Fate and Death itself along their way. A brand that showed their loyalty lays for the gods…

A prayer for forgiveness…

A wish to protect the world…

A promise to save a life…

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The sound explosion filling the air around me as I hid myself among the crowds, ignoring the screaming people in fear and bullets flying around me as I slowly closed my eyes, listening to the whisper of sadness among the people.

"Hey, kid! You're alright there?"

My eyes instantly opened just as the speaker hand touched my shoulder and unconsciously twisted it behind his back as I pulled out a sharp dagger, aiming his throat. The man was larger than me. He had slightly long blonde hair that touched his neck, a black bandana warped on his head and was wearing long trench coat with a light blue vest underneath it along with striped blue scarf hanging on his waist and grey boots.

"H-Hey Kid. I'm not going to hurt ya…"

I silenced and cautiously let go of him and withdrew my dagger inside my back pouch as I faced him fully underneath my black cloak, covering my feature, "Man, you're tough!" he grinned, extending his hand to shake mine as he introduced himself, "I'm Snow Villiers. We could use someone like you in our group!"

"Adrian Heathcliff…" I answered, taking his glove hand with mine before withdrew it back into my cloak.

"So, kid. Would like to join me and my comrades to fight the PSICOM dogs?"

"Hn"

"I took that as a yes!"

A gun was shoved onto me as I looked up to meet his grinning face, "Come on, kid! Let's kick the PSICOM butt!"

"Hn. I hate being called a kid" I murmured and followed him together with the other volunteers to face the army of soldier aiming towards us. I run instantly to the near guard, dodging the bullets that was aiming for me and slashed the man throat with my dagger before turning to shoot the other behind me.

"Kid! Watch out! Behind you!"

I turned around and shoot the man hiding behind the boulder before turning to thank Snow as I head on, "Damn that was lucky!" Snow said as he shoot the other guards before something caught the edge of my eyes, "LOOK OUT!" I shouted.

An explosion shaken the bridge we went on as the middle snapped into half. I groaned as I felt my side bleeding at the flying pieces of concrete hitting me and turned to see Snow along with a silver haired woman hanging on the edge. I struggled to stand up and shakily walked my way to them, "Hang on!" I said, kneeling near the edge as I reached out to help the woman first, "Grab my hand!" I shouted for her. Snow hand began to slip and I knew I have to reach for her fast so I lay onto the ground and forward my body further more to help her, "Please, grab my hand I'll safe you" I said her, eyes desperately begging her to reach her but it was too late… she slipped away from Snow gasped and fallen down to the endless gap underneath us.

"MOM!"

A shout entered my ears as I watched the woman smile one last time before thanking me for trying to safe her. I blinked and lifted my head up to the source of the shout and saw a little boy, maybe not older than twelve screaming at the fallen woman with brings out the memories of my death mother. A hand placed onto my shoulder as I blinked away to snap my little memories lane and was greeted by the blonde grinned as he looked at me concernedly, "You alright, kid?" motioned to the bleeding on my side before telling the other to help me…

My mind numb into emptiness as the scene replaying inside my head repeatedly, letting them carried me away and headed towards the shelter from the flying bullets aiming randomly before darkness slowly started to consume me into unconscious…

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Pain had woken me up from my dreamless sleep and glanced around the place cautiously as my soldier instinct started to kick in, searching around the between the fallen concrete for possible enemies and PSICOM guards…

_**Where am I?**_

"Oh! You're awake!" I instantly looked up at the familiar voice coming from my left and meet Snow grinned sheepishly as he kneed in front of me, "How are you doing, Kid?" he asked, placing a comfortable warm hand onto my slightly ached shoulder as I frowned at the call.

"Don't call me kid"

A humour laughed filling the air from him for my respond which I totally ignored and slowly stood up from the dirty floor, as I observe my surrounding "What happen?" I asked, grimacing slightly at the pain on my side before looked around for my weapon and cloak which lying motionless on the floor not far from me.

"We're now hiding between the creak of a fallen building. I've take you with me since the others were kind of busy at the moment. Think you on for it?"

"Yeah… don't worry" I murmured as I fasten my gunblade holder onto my waist behind me and placed my dagger into my pouch before changing my cloak in a scarf as I wore it onto my neck.

"Good! We're leaving…" Snow nodded before walked out from the creek of the fallen concrete as I followed behind him, helping him searching around the place for his missing fiancée (since he been eagerly boasting about Serah this and that or how much he become a hero to save the world just to waste our time which I totally ignored it much for my displease) and looked up at this… alien place which kind of amaze me to the end…

The wall and the ceiling were filling with strange craving written in ancient language, possessing a gloomy yet menace aura I felt into my core and lurked around the shadows for enemies before looked back at the large door in front of me…

"SERAH!"

The sound of his voice echoed inside the hall as I tightened my grip on my gunblade, preparing for an ambush or anything that could kill us…

I mean, come on! Can't he think how much he dangerous it is to shout when there are PSICOM hunting for us and he actually give out our coordinate to the enemies? Geez!

"Snow… I hate to break into you but will you stop shouting! The PSICOM might heard us"

"Opss! Sorry!"

He opened the door before us and walked inside the large hall, "Hang on baby! You're hero is on the way!" he shout… again and instantly running around the place aimlessly as I followed behind him calmly, glancing around to find any clues of intruders as I watched every corner of the place.

Trying to restrain myself from knock the blonde senseless, the sound of battle entered my ears as I looked up to the platform above me, watching a certain pink haired woman along with her companion fighting horrible monsters with her gunblade.

_**Wait a second!**_

A gasp managed to escape from my lips as my eyes widen at the monsters in front of them that managed to catch my attention from supervising the blonde who seems to be running up stair towards the platform above me...

_**Cie'th!... **_

A Cie'th was once a human, branding by the fal'Cie to finish their Focus but they failed to complete it thus cursing them into a mindless creature, mourning for their life and soul as they had been tied a fate that worse than death itself…

I continued to watch the battle in fear, frozen by the thought of the creature as I turned my gaze to the female Guardian Cop fighting it. The pink haired woman turned around as she feel my eyes on her and looked up to meet my darken gaze, surprised to see me behind her before lifting her gunblade, aiming towards me with her eyes glaring in unknown emotion as she release a fire…

"Oh Shit!"

I watched the bullet passed me by an inch away from my head and instantly turned around to see a dead Cie'th on the floor as I took a deep breath in relief…

_**Thanked god! **_

"Kid! Hurry up!"

I turned around to see Snow following the pink haired woman into another hallway above me and cursed as I decided to catch up with them, leaving behind the bloody scene as I followed down their footsteps into unknown floor. I stopped in unison with the others inside the hall and watched as another pink haired girl fallen onto the floor as Snow running towards her, circling his arms around her lovingly like a lover as he let out a deep breath in relief, "It's alright, Serah. I got you…" helping her up from the floor as the Guardian cop female who managed to catch my attention once instantly went to the girl side as she carried her into her arms.

"Serah…"

_**So this is Serah…**_

My eyes caught by the familiar sign located just above her right arm, a tattoo consist of series entwined, black arrows, all criss-crossing beneath a red circle at the centre of the brand, making it look like an eyes.

"A l'Cie…"

The Guardian Cops female companion beside me blinked away from his daze and turned his attention towards my words, "You know about it?" he asked. I shook my head to the Afro man as I looked closer to his appearance.

The man was somewhere in middle aged, dark skinned with a little chocobo chick nesting inside his Afro haired. He wore a long, Oliver coat over his khaki pant, a white button-down shirt and black buckled engineer boats.

"What about you? Do you know about it?"

The man shook his head, "Nah, I just following her around" motioned towards the pinked haired Guardian Cops before turning back to face me, "What's your name Kid?"

I frowned at the call, what's with everyone calling me a kid! I'm twenty one for god sake! "Adrian… Adrian Heathcliff"

"Sazh Katzroy"

"Snow… Light…" the soft weak voice caught my attention as I turned away to see her, the l'Cie within their arms.

"We're here, Baby" said Snow as he gripped her hand, resting his cheeks against it as he looked up into her eyes.

"Save… Cocoon…"

"What?" the woman, similar to the girl inside her arms murmured as she leaned closer, "Is that… is that your Focus?"

"Save us… protect Cocoon…"

_**Cocoon?**_

My thought murmured in confused as I fallen into deep thought…

_**Cocoon? Why Cocoon? She's a Pulse l'Cie isn't she? The enemies of Cocoon. Why would she want them to protect it?**_

"Anything…I'll do anything for you, Serah! Just leave it to me. I'll protect Cocoon! I'll save everyone!"

I watched the scene unfolded before me and amazed as the girl slowly levitated herself into the air, losing her grasp from Snow hand as she started to crystalize, finally finishing her Focus and was granted by the gods an eternal life, sleeping within the crystal dome until the day she awaken…

"So the legend was true…"

The people turned their attention to me as I watched the beautiful scene with a nostalgic smile adorned on my lips, lifting my hand to my chest as I began recite the ancient words I've remember between my past, "L'Cie who fulfil their focus transformed into crystal, granted by the Gods above the heaven an eternity life until the day their awaken from their deep sleep…" before closing my dark eyes in pray for her blessed soul and opened it once more, turning to my companion behind me.

The crystal of the beautiful maiden slowly descend onto the ground as she tears shed into a beautiful azure gem fallen onto Snow hand, as a token of remembrance for her fate as he grip her frozen hand lovingly, "Sweet dream… Serah" whispered him gently, filling with nothing but love and adoration for her before the Guardian Cops female beside him snapped away from her daze and turned to the blonde in anger, "Sweet dream?..." she murmured and grabbed Snow collar aggressively, "She's not sleeping!..." choking her sobs as I watched them sadly, "Serah's…. she's…." trailing the words off as she didn't dare to finish it, shoving him away and turned away to hide the sadness and pain swimming inside her icy gaze…

-but Snow wasn't deterred by the words.

"She's alive!"

"No-!"

"The Legend! Remember the legend!" he suddenly yelled as he turned to me, "Just like Adrian said, L'Cie who fulfil their Focus turned into crystal and gain eternal life!" and slowly turned to Serah in longing, "it's the same for Serah!" before turning to whole group, "Eternal life! She's not dead! Right, Adrian?!"

Now, all the attention was brought to me as I meet their piecing gaze, Oh Snow how much I'll love to kill you! "…yes"

"How can you be sure!" hissed the pinked haired Gurdian Cops as she faced to meet me. I looked deeply into her icy eyes, unaffected by the burning anger inside her gaze as I give her a small genuine smile, "I know so…" finally taking her fully appearance as I stood up high in front of her.

There's no doubt she was beautiful. She had a beautiful long wavy light pink hair over her left shoulder and a pair of beautiful icy aqua eyes that could looked deeply into my soul. She wore a variation of standard Guardian Cops uniforms. The green metallic pauldron on her left shoulder bearing yellow strips symbolize her previous rank as a sergeant. She also seemed to have carried a gunblade in black case, hanging off her belt behind her.

"But that's not enough!" she argued, grabbing my front collar as she faced me, "Open your eyes and face the reality! This not a legend! It's a reality!"

I gazed her sadly and calmly placed my glove hand onto her fisted ones, ignoring the warmth and electrical feeling touched our skin as I tried to calm her down, "Calm down…"

Her eyes widen slightly at the sensation before gritted her teeth in anger and shoved me away just like Snow but was caught by Sazh who looked down at me into sympathy, "You're alright, Kid?"

"Yeah…"

I stared back at the woman sadly. I couldn't help but sympathise for her fate, watching her sister crystalize herself in front of her eyes was painful... even I couldn't imagine the pain she went through because I was alone. I was an Orphan. Nothing but a trash threw by the other as darkness had only been my companion for so long as I could remember. I envied by them, having a family, having someone who remember me, loving me, crying for me…

_**Would someone cry for me if I was dead?...**_

Suddenly, there was a crashing sound coming from above us, trembling the entire vestige around us as I raised my head up at the culprit. I slowly stood upright on the floor beside Sazh and turned to watch the other concernedly before the silver haired boy caught my attention as he sank down onto the ground, putting his head between his knees as the ground shaken in fear. I rushed towards the young boy and placed my hands onto his shoulder in support, "You're alright there, lad?" I asked, giving him a soft comfort smile as he nodded his head hesitantly as he meet me with his beautiful emerald gaze.

"Yeah…"

"What now?" asked the other orange haired girl behind them in her high-pitch voice as she gripped the wall for support.

"The Army!"

I turned my head at Sazh outburst and gritted my teeth in annoyance before facing them, "We have to get out from here!"

"What's happening?"

"It must the Santrum strike" Sazh murmured as he looked around us in search for escaped, "Bring down the vestige and the fal'Cie right with it"

The young girl run and clutched his hand fearfully, "Aren't they taking it back to Pulse?" she asked, "That's what the Purge was right?"

I shook my head and smiled at the young girl sadly, "All they care about is getting everything from Pulse to Cocoon. Dead or Alive, it all the same…"

Her eyes widen in horror for my words before a hand caught my wrist as I turned my head to the young boy in front of me, "We can't stay here" he pleaded, "they'll kill us…"

"I know…"

I looked around the vestige, trying to find an escape for us despise the fallen dust and the ground shaken beneath me. The most practical path would be back the way we come, but I turned to the door at the end of the hall above us on the staircase as if it was calling for me.

Suddenly, the tremor ceased.

Everyone got onto their feet, ready to leave the place while the door that I've been staring began to glow as the symbol illuminated. I recognised the symbol on the door, it was the Pulse l'Cie brand as the door began to open, inviting me to come to it.

I immediately felt the presence beyond the metallic door, the dark presence of Pulse fal'Cie. My hand shaken in fear for the cold wave of it presence hitting me as I frozen in placed. I squared my shoulder, tightening my hand into a fist in hope of ease the fear filling my mind before I heard Snow whispered to the crystalize girl gently, "I'll be back, hold on…" and began walking towards the door I've been staring.

"Hey! Where you going?" asked Sazh as he watched the blonde walked away before stopped in the middle of his track to face him with determination on his stoic face, "Date with the fal'Cie. We got some things to talk about"

"What?! You're going to ask it to help her?"

I stood there in silenced as I watched them arguing before me, falling deeply into my thought as I looked down to the silver haired boy clinging into my hand in comfort, like a little lost boy and glancing around the other around me as I watched their expression. The orange hair girl was standing not far from Sazh as she gripped his sleeves, looking at the men bicker in from of her while the pink haired woman who wore the Guardian Cops uniform stood silently on my left before meeting my gaze with her icy one.

"-that thing could chew us up and spit us out!"

So, the argument still on huh?

"Well, what do you want me to do?" barked Snow angrily.

Sazh's mouth opened but instantly closed back as he turned away in defeat. Silence slowly surrounds us back before the pink haired woman beside me walked ahead towards the door as she passed him.

"Lightning?" Snow muttered her name as he followed her every move with his blue gaze.

_**Lightning…**_

I frowned when Snow went after her and couldn't help but shook my head in displease, "Here we go again" muttered Sazh bitterly as we followed them inside the chamber. I looked down at the boy beside me to distract myself from the presence that I about face and smiled as I tugged his hand that still within my hand to catch his attention, "So, what's your name, lad?"

"Hope Estheim"

"Adrian Heathcliff. What about you milady?" I asked teasingly to enlighten the gloomy atmosphere towards the orange haired girl before she grinned happily as she answered my question with her cherry voice, "Oerba Dia Vanille! Nice to meet you Adrian!"

"Likewise…"

"Hn! I don't know you're a gentleman kind of boy, kid!" grinned Sazh as he turned to face me.

"Oh hush you old man!"

We both laughed at the joke before looked up to meet none other the Pulse fal'Cie standing before me as I felt the boy, Hope hand squeezing mine in support which I returned it and glanced sideway to him, "So this is… the fal'Cie" he murmured beside me as I nodded.

"Yeah…"

The corridor started to illuminate as I looked up to the fal'Cie emotionlessly inside the empty wide chamber. It looked like giant machine with gears and cranks everywhere but still within it defined form. It base was round and above it was pillar with large pipes running around it as if it was the source of it life.

_**Maybe it is…**_

"Serah's a crystal now" Snow said, pointing towards the fal'Cie angrily, "You gave her a Focus and she did it. You got what you want, now let her go!"

Nothing but silence was his only response before he fallen into all fours, begging at the god as he bowed, "Please…turn her back" with one of his hand placed against his heart, "I'll be your l'Cie instead!" as his broke in the end of his words.

The pink haired woman standing beside her scowled at the action, "Fine" she groaned, "You go on begging! Like this thing gives a damn what we want" as she pulled out her gunblade behind her and hacked at the metallic exterior of the fal'Cie.

"Stupid…" I murmured as I glared at her stupid action of attacking the fal'Cie which affected nothing on the being towered over us when she finally staggered backward in annoyance at the thing.

"Lightning!" Snow yelled as he took up a fighting stance beside her and faced the fal'Cie with his fists. I shook my head in disappointment for the two adult before looking at the youngster with a small smile to ease their fear, "Hope, Vanille. I want to stay back from the fight alright? Don't do anything reckless like these guys. Do you hear me?"

"Yes…"

"Good…"

"Come on, kid! We have to help them!" Sazh called out to me as he run towards them to help them with two guns within his hand. I frowned at the call again and sighed as I instantly went towards them, pulling out by gunblade into its gun mode before firing it bullet to the machine, "Here's come the back up!" I murmured and stood beside Sazh ready to fight.

At the precise moment, the chamber was bathed with glowing lights as two metal pillars rose beside the fal'Cie. We stepped back cautiously as the base opened wide, exposing the true fal'Cie within it. It was a misshaped being with no discernible features but at the front was a purple stone. Small pipes and tubes stuck out from the top and there was jagged claw contraption that stuck out from the side, almost arm-like.

I sank into half crouch as I changed my gunblade into it blade mode. I let my instinct took control and leaped forward to slash my blade at the purple crystal, noticing how much my attack doesn't affect it. I raised my blade for another swing when the pillar on it left smash towards me, knocking me over as I could felt my previous injured started to ach back from the attack.

"Adrian!"

I stood up shakily onto my feet and give Snow a grimace smile at his concerned and gripped the gunblade tightly with my other hand placed onto my side as I could feel it bleeding, looking up to see Lightning flipped over the pillar as it flew towards her. Her gunblade was a blur as she swiped at it in mid-air, crashing the pillar onto the ground.

_**Not bad!**_

Something caught my sight as I saw the purple crystal pulsed.

_**So, that's why…**_

"Take out the arms!"

The others took my lead as I pulled my gunblade into its gun mode once more and fired it towards the crystal, hacking into it metallic pillar. The metal spilt easily and sparks flew as I exposed more of the wiring beneath it. I whirled my gunblade into blade and slash the pulsing crystal again as it started to fade, limbs severed from it.

They didn't need command as they took my opening, attacking the crystal and cracking it under our blow but it was the end of it. The severed pillars sudden emerged from the fal'Cie as it regenerated its limbs once and began attacking us. So, we decided to spilt up into pair, Lightning and I took the left arms while Sazh and Snow took the other. It wasn't long before the fal'Cie was crippled again by our attack as we attacked the crystal once more. there was a crack running along the crystal, threatening to spilt into half as I took the opportunity to stab it with my gunblade before blinding by the flash and I was thrown back onto the other as they fallen onto the ground.

Out of nowhere, I was floating…

Familiarities of the darkness started to consume me as I could see nothing but emptiness, feeling the coldness touched my skin before a voice spoke up beside me, "Where are we?" as I turned to Vanille floating in fear as she glanced around us. I blinked from my daze as I knew that I wasn't alone in the vast darkness, feeling the other presence around me as I looked up to meet a familiar icy aqua eyes gazing my dark black ones. Feeling the world suddenly pulled into a stop as I continued to gaze her as she was mine…

"Light-"

Suddenly, long tendrils wrapped around my arms and legs, waist as it slammed me into the wall. I hissed in pain as it started to squeeze my injury and groaned as I watched the fal'Cie appeared before us. My left neck suddenly burst into flame as I screamed at the sensation and gritted my teeth to supress the pain crawling within my vein. Then, so abruptly the pain ceased as it suddenly appeared and the fire was gone.

I was falling…

Though I won't mind of falling, I custom to the darkness since my existence as it was peaceful to my aching soul and continuing falling deeper and deeper into emptiness. Mind-numbing vision emerged inside my head as it only last for a second until the creature within my mind making me cringe in familiarities.

_**Ragnarok…**_

Soft fingers touched my arm, closing around my wrist before I brought it down and entwined my fingers with her as I turned to right tiredly, "Lightning…" the hand within mine own, squeezed as a pair of icy aqua gaze meeting my dark ones for the last time before slowly closed my eyes and let darkness swallow me once into the abyss…

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"Darkness… had been nothing but my companion since my existence to this world and I was given name by it. Adrian… the dark one. That's what they called me. But when I meet you, I meet the light… I guess even in the deepest darkness there's also light to guide you"

*Adrian Heathcliff*

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**A/N:** Hey! This is my first male OC story I ever written off, most of my stories are only female OC and this is the first male one. My inspiration was from _**Garrett 67**_ who written the _**'Soldier's Edge'**_. It's really a good story. I recommended you tried to read it. Anyway, the story really inspires me to write this so this is the result. I really hope you like it. Thank you for _**Garrett 67**_ who willing to give me a permission to use the story as a guideline. I really appreciate it. Please review for further chapters.


	2. Chapter 1: Together for what may be

_**Final Fantasy XIII:**_

_**Darkness Light**_

_**By**_

_**Skylight96**_

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_**Summary:**_

Darkness had been nothing but my companion ever since the day I was born. Blinding from the light around me as I fell deeply into the shadows surround my existence but yet… light could still reach me since the day I meet her… my light…

My name is Adrian Heathcliff and this is my story…

_**Disclaimer:**_

I don't own Final Fantasy XIII and the plot reference by Garrett 67.

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_**Chapter 1:**_

_**Together for what may be**_

…

Consciousness slowly brought me back into reality as I woke up instantly from the dreamless slumber before bolt up from the cold icy ground beneath me as pain searing on my neck began to ache, hissing at the stinging sensation before glancing around me to find the others. On my right, there was her, Lightning slowly woke up with our hand still entwined from the previous accident before a shout jolt me back into the present as I turned to Snow who was sitting up from the floor in surprise and glanced around before meeting my gaze, "Adrian?"

"Yeah…"

He looked around him as I do the same, stunned by the crystalize waves beneath us as the hand inside my own began to stir and turned to meet a pair of icy aqua eyes opened as she slowly got up from the ground, "You're alright?" she turned to me and nodded silently as she pulled away her hand from mine, ignoring the pang of hurt inside my heart at the action as I stood up and looked around at the others who slowly started to wake from the fall.

"Is this… for real?"

I looked up and gazed at the cacophony of colour around us in amaze for the beautiful breath-taking sight. The other slowly got up onto their feet and looked around to find the location of our whereabouts, except for the young silver haired boy who still sitting onto the icy crystal ground with his head buried onto his knee.

"Hey, you're alright?" I asked, kneeling in front of him as I placed a hand onto his shoulder but I was greeted by nothing but silence from the boy which I couldn't help but release a deep sigh in defeat before stood up once more to survey the place cautiously.

"This must be…Lake Bresha?"

I turned my dark gaze to Sazh as he murmured into the air, looking at the familiarity of the crystal shape surround us, obvious that it were crystalize waves of water belong to the lake, frozen in time. I walked towards the older man and looked up towards the skyward, "I guess we fell from up there" motioned towards above us, "and the lake turned into crystal"

"Wait a minute! Help me out here! I mean did the fal'Cie do this?" Sazh spoke out urgently as he looked between me, Snow and Lightning with his arms outstretch to prove his point of the surrounding, "How in the world did we end up here?"

Lightning scowled at the words and crossed her arms against her chest in irritant, "How should I know?"

"Just like I said, we fell from up there and land onto the lake… as for it to be crystalize, I don't have a clue"

Vanille fell onto her knee and clasped her hand together to catch our attention, "We're alive. How?" she asked, touching the crystal ground with her hand in amaze and slightly curiosity for the outstanding phenomena.

"Serah!"

We all turned towards the source of the outburst and looked at Snow who standing on the edge of the crystal clearing, turning towards us with hope yet grief glistered on his face, "No one survive a fall from that high" motioning towards the skyward of the vestige, "not without a miracle, Serah saved us!"

"Serah?"

Lightning's eyes flashed with anger as she turned the idiotic blonde, "Listen. It's all your fault she-" but she couldn't finished as she turned away, hiding the doubt and sadness inside her eyes. I gazed at her sadly and gently placed a hand onto her shoulder, slightly surprise as she didn't mind for the action before something caught the corner of my eyes and pulled her away behind me, "Watch out!"

A Cie'th sudden appeared and pounced onto me as I groaned at the impact, causing my wound to reopen as I looked up at the creature fearfully.

"Adrian!"

Snow instantly make his way to me and swung his fist at the Cie'th, knocking it over from as Sazh helped me up from the icy ground. A brand on his forearm brightens, showing the Pulse fal'Cie mark engraved on his body with blue glowing light forming on his fist. I gasped lightly as I saw the insignia before hissing in discomfort at the crimson liquid soaking my white button-up shirt, placing my hand onto the wound, trying to prevent blood loss and looked up at the creature with my other gripping my gunblade, shifting it into its gun mode in case of the others attacking them.

"W-What did I… just do?"

Hope's eyes widen along with the other at the action and instantly got up onto his feet, pointing at the blonde man accusingly, "You used magic!" scrambling to his feet as the sound of more Cie'th started filling the air around us, causing Vanille to gasp in surprise as we all stand guard at three more entering the crystal plane, You used the power of l'Cie!" he exclaimed, "the fal'Cie cursed us! We're l'Cie now!"

It was suddenly dawned to me. The burning pain, the vision flooding my mind…. It all makes sense now! I touched my left neck, hoping to find the rough ink craving and there it was, the Pulse I'Cie symbol branded onto my neck, hidden underneath my scarf.

Lightning silenced and drew her gunblade from its holster, giving out the air of fierce determination as she faced the Cie'th, "Right…" she murmured, pulling herself into her fighting stance as the others took her side to face their enemies. Lightning took command and instantly went into her sergeant mode, "You" pointing toward Vanille, "distract that one-"indicating to the one Cie'th on the left, "try to stagger it so I can get a clear hit"

Snow took the order silently without much of complain and started to launch an attack at the middle one with his fist. I as a former soldier knew my job well so Lightning took the liberty to let me do as I please as I fought side by side with her and took out the Cie'th heading towards Vanille with my gunblade.

I dodged one of the Cie'th attacks and swung my blade into it, kick it away after plunging my blade into it middle while Snow fired small ball of ice into its face. Lightning and Vanille took care of the remaining Cie'th as I watched them bring them down with deathly combination attack for the two women. I guess, women's wraths are deathly. My thought shuddered at the consequences of facing one before finishing the last one within my range.

"So, we really are I'Cie"

I turned my gunblade into it gun mode and slowly placed it back onto my holster, minding the injury as I frowned slightly at the thought, "I guess we are…" answering the spoken question from the blonde man. Sazh hung his head, "Looks like it" he agreed as he glanced around us, searching for something to occupy his thought.

Snow sighed in defeat and turned to Vanille, "You too?"

The young maiden nodded, lifting her short tribal skirt up to show the mark on her upper thigh, causing the men cheeks including mine to burn slightly in embarrass for a moment before returning into serious mode as we glanced among each other.

"What about you, Adrian?"

I shifted my gaze to Snow and pulled down my black scarf slightly to show it, "Right here"

"L'Cie to the last" a voice coming out behind me as I turned to see none other than Lightning frowning at the situation faced by them. A whimper caught my attention as I turned to the youngest among our group, sitting onto the crystal ground as he hugged his knee tightly against his chest, "Hope…" I called out softly as he shook his head like a mad man.

"Why me?" he whispered before lifting up his burning emerald eyes, "I don't even know you! But you have to go and attack that thing?!" accusing at the pink haired woman before him, "Just leave me alone!"

I silently make my way to the poor boy and kneed in front of him, gently consoling him as I placed my hand onto his thin shoulder, "Shh… it's alright, Hope. You're not alone… I'm here for you" soothing him as I faced them with a trouble face for my gloomy thought.

_**How someone so young could ever face such a big responsibility…**_

-but he still not satisfied with it and leaped onto his feet as he glared at Snow, "All of this is your and Serah's fault!"

"Watch it!"

Snow snarled and eventually walked up to him in anger for the accusation, causing the boy to fell down onto the ground in haste of escaping from the blonde's wrath. I raised my hand in hope of catching him before stumbled upon Lightning who looked down to the poor boy with a cold glaring eyes at his childish attitude and crawled away to hide once again from us.

I frowned at them and sighed in defeat as I shook my head in disappointment. Snow angry gaze slowly softened as he began to feel guilty at his outburst and sighed as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "Sorry"

My eyes softened at the apology given by the bulky man and turned to the young boy with a soft genuine smile adorned on my lips. The orange haired girl slowly approached him and placed her hand onto his trembling shoulder, "Everything going to be alright. You'll see" as she pulled him onto his feet, saying "Come on. Off we go!"

Hesitation could be seen on his face as he turned his gaze to me, asking silently whether it's alright for him or not. I nodded slightly in encouragement and watched the duo walking their way from these crystallise clearing as I followed behind them to watch over them, "Don't go too far, kids!"

"Yeah!"

I chuckled at the girl enthusiasm and turned to the sound of upcoming footstep beside me to meet none other than Sazh and Snow, "L'Cie huh?" Snow said direly, falling deeply into his deep thought as I nodded in agree, "Yep. We're all playing for Team Pulse now" frowned Sazh as he sighed in defeat and looked up at the kids before us.

"This day just keeps getting better and better huh?" I chuckled and glanced sideway to the older man with a playful smirk on my lips.

"Why me?..." the man sighed in defeat as I patted his back consolingly.

"If it would make you feel better, we're l'Cie as well…"

The poor man grunted and lightly shoved me away from him as I laughed playfully at him to ease the gloomy atmosphere around us, joined by Snow who pulled me into a headlock while ruffling my black locks teasingly, "Hey knock it off, Snow!"

Lightning said nothing as she walked passed us men and seemed to decide ignored our playful argument. Sazh scowled at the emotionless woman and shook his head, "Trust the soldier to keep her cool throughout this mess"

I silenced and chuckled, "Hey! I'm once a soldier too, you know" ignoring the pang of guilty squeezing my heart at the black history which kind of catching the men and also the pinkette attention (but didn't show) as their turned to me with shocking façade, "You were?" Snow questioned.

"Well, yeah. So how you supposed I beat the PSICOM easily?"

"So, you're a soldier?"

"Yup!" popping the 'p' as we continued our walk ahead.

Sazh turned to me with curious eyes, "A PSICOM or Guardian Cops?"

"None…"

"None?"

I nodded as I give them a playful smirk, "It's a secret…" pointing my index finger onto my lips as I give a wink at the men who laughed at the gesture before stopping suddenly in the middle of our track at the pinkette who paused in front of us.

"You're a SHADOW aren't you?"

My dark gaze instantly went to speaker as I watched her turned slightly and glanced sideway behind her at me with cold icy blue eyes, "A dark, unknown organisation held below the Sanctum's rebellion to destroy Pulse. In another words, you're an assassin sent by them to destroy this place…"

"That's right… such a clever girl" I smiled happily at the words but slowly flatten as I playful, happy façade turned 180 degree into cold, stoic, emotionless façade I used to wear when I went into a mission as I meet her glare with my own, "Just as I expected from the Guardian Cops herself" smirking sadistically as the other look at us shockingly.

"An assassin?" Sazh gasped.

I nodded but slowly turned back into happy façade I wear earlier, "but I guess since I fail my mission, I probably been kick out from it. It's such a shame though…" pouting playfully to ease the tension between us, "I really love my stay at the organisation…"

"Ok…" Snow trailed off to avoid the awkwardness between us and looked between us sheepishly, "if we didn't know our focus, how do we complete it?"

"I think… I saw it…"

We turned our attention to the mumbling orange haired girl as she looked down onto the ground gloomily. Lightning turned to her, "Saw what?" she asked, leaning closer interestingly as she eyed the girl with her cold icy blue eyes. Sazh step up to help the poor girl down from the scary Guardian Cops and turned to us, saying "That's how a Focus comes down people" he began to explain, "The fal'Cie? They don't spell it out with clear-cut instructions. All you get is a hazy glimpse of it"

Snow mirrored the pinkette posture as he crossed his arms over his chest, "Well, that's what they say. You know, legend and all"

I nodded in agree at the thought before turning my gaze to the smaller boy between us, "Hope…" I called out to catch his attention, "Did you see anything, lad?"

"I uh-I just… it's all kind of foggy, but I thought this big-I mean towering-"

"W-Wait a minute! Hold on now! Did we all have the same dream?" Sazh interrupted, asking to everyone as we glanced among each other.

"Ragnarok…"

"So," continued the dark skin man, "We all saw the same dream. The same voice…"

"You mean that's our Focus?" asked Hope, eyes swimming with fear and horror as he looked at the man in disbelieve, "But, how are we supposed to know what to do from that?" turning around to watch our reaction to the unexpected news.

"That's the tricky part" I spoke out, placing my right hand underneath my neck in thinking posture as I browse throughout my memories, "The dream's the only hint the fal'Cie gives us. Figuring out what to do with it… that's our job"

"Okay, okay" hushed Sazh, "We're Pulse l'Cie right? Enemies of Cocoon… so, does that mean our Focus is-?"

"Save her…"

My dark eyes shifted at the bulky blonde beside me who had interrupt the afro haired man words.

"Say what?"

"Our Focus is to protect Cocoon"

I frowned for his words and couldn't help but asked, mildly interest with the discussion, "Really? But why? We're Pulse l'Cie. Isn't our job to destroy Cocoon?" which earning a nod from Sazh as I voice out our view regarding the situation and crossed my arms against my chest thoughtfully.

"Serah told us remember? Let's do it! We're all in this together!" he spoke out as he faced us, "I'm going to look for Serah. She ought to be nearby" and began to ran off towards unnamed destination alone, leaving us behind in search of his crystalize fiancé. Vanille made an exasperated gesture as she shook her head amusedly, "I'll come too! Wait up!" she called and started to run after him from our sight.

"Honestly…" sighed Sazh as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "That boy can't stay still!"

"Really…" murmured Hope as he quietly followed them before turning to take a look at me which I returned it with a small smile and a nod for his silent permission of following the duo, "Don't get lost" I warned the boy which he smiled shyly at the words and walked away.

Sazh who walked beside me, grinned as he nudged my rib, "Oh geez, kid! I don't know you such a mother-hen" he joked.

"Oh yeah? Maybe because you too old to remember, Katzroy"

"Haha really funny, Heathcliff"

"Thank you, I try"

We both laughed at the jokes, talking among us men about nothingness as I glanced sideway to the beautiful pinkette soldier walking on my other side, "You know, Lightning. You could be a little bit social with us. We don't bite" I murmured as I give a friendly smile to her stoic feature.

"But she does…"

"Aww, come on, Sazh! Don't be such a whiny"

Lightning couldn't help but rolled her eyes at our playful bicker but I knew it was more friendly than a gesture of animosity. I mean, come on! I'm a playful kind of dog! Woof!

It didn't take us long to catch up with the other and we all allowed Lightning to lead the way. What can I say? It's a soldier instinct. "There's gotta be a way through here somehow" Snow said, glancing around the ruin building for anyway route in finding the crystalize maiden, "Let's keep looking. We need to find a way out of here. We can worry about everything else later"

The ex-Guardian Cops lead the way through the crystal maze, seeing a clearly defined path through the waves after cutting down another group of Cie'th roaming around the ground, "This just might work" said the bulky blonde hopefully about our new found powers of the l'Cie as I withdrew my gunblade into its gun mode before turning to face him.

"Okay? What might work?"

"Magic may be cursed, but it makes stronger, doesn't it?" referring to the damage we (or in another words, him) for the usage of magic we regained from the Pulse fal'Cie, "What's to stop us from putting it to good use?"

I thought about it for a moment as I looked at him. Meh, he had a point there! The abilities of l'Cie were powerful, but there was nothing stopping us from using it against Pulse instead of Cocoon. Hmm…

"We are, I guess. We could just turn around and say, 'Take that, Pulse fal'Cie' while insert a maniac laugh" I grinned and laughed at the joke, joined by the other around me for the pitiful joke but hey! At least they laughed.

"Then we fight it!" he nodded with determination and held up his fist, glancing among us with a huge grin on his face, "Ragnarok!" our party stopped to listen his sudden outburst as I stepped backwards to avoid any flaining limb that might be elicited from his passionate speech (since I stood next to him), "That's the reason we're l'Cie. To stop it- to keep Cocoon safe!"

"Yeah, why don't you give us one good reason to believe that? One reason" questioned the afro-haired man as he crossed his arms against his broad chest.

"Serah…"

"Huh?" I quirked my eyebrows in surprised and confused for the words as my jaw began to drop in disbelieve.

Snow sighed in exasperatedly before pulling me into a headlock and ruffled my dark locks, "She said to protect Cocoon and she turned to crystal"

"Ok! Ok! I get it! Hand off, Villiers! You're destroying my hair now!"

"The hell it does! You're grasping at straw, son! Pulse fal'Cie are Cocoon's enemies. We just got recruited by one of them!" Sazh snapped fiercely, probably tired of hearing about Serah's crap and all from Snow, "If I were a betting man… I'd put us on the other side"

Finally! Snow released me and turned to the man angrily, "So, Serah's an enemy too?" he stamped his foot like a scold child, "Well I don't but it!" before turning to strode over the silent pinkette who was facing him with her hands on her hips, glaring coldly at the man before her, "We have the power to save Cocoon!" indicating to the brand on his arm, "If we work together and carry out our Focus-"

Lightning responded with aggression and began to draw her gunblade as she pressed it against the man throat, warning him to say a word about the matter, "Our Focus? The fal'Cie took Serah from us and you want to help it? Whose side are you on?"

"Woah… woah…" I shushed them (after refining my hair of course) to prevent any bloodshed occurred for the children before a gun pointed behind me which I instantly froze before glancing backwards at the PSICOM standing behind me, "PSICOM…"

"Freeze!"

The sudden command of the elite soldier caught our attention as I raised my hands up in surrender and sighed in annoyance of being caught as I watched the men began to surround our little party.

"Place your hand behind your head!"

Five of our group grudgingly obliged and only Lightning hesitated before letting her gunblade fall onto the crystalized ground. I frowned at the unexpected capture before one of the soldier who I presume the superior of the group turned his gaze underneath his helmet towards me with a recognised look on his face, "You!" he addressed me, "You're SHADOW" probably referring towards the golden brand located on the heart of my long black trench. The SHADOW logo.

"Was" I corrected with a fake smile.

"-and You" he said, speaking to Lightning, "You fall off the Purge train?"

Lightning just silently placed her hands behind her head and closed her eyes, "Maybe" she said calm to annoy the man which I couldn't help but let out a smirk at the cold attitude from the fine lady. Oh, this is good!

"Are you talking back to me?" asked the commander as he pointed his gun inches from her head angrily.

She smiled and looked at him with mischief eyes.

"Nice gun"

-then she moved.

I smirked knowingly at the fast movement of the ex-Guardian Cops as I watched her knock the gun out of the commander's hand and delivered a swift elbow onto his head. Yup! She's good alright. She circled around him and pushed upwards her palm onto his jaw, launching him into the air and lifting her long leg in a vicious kick to the unfortunate PSICOM commander.

"Not bad!"

I retracted my secret dagger underneath my sleeve and swift it onto the guard behind him before giving him a kick onto his abdomen to free myself, catching his gun into my hand and began to fire the rest of the soldier around us.

"Let's the fun begin!"

I fired at one of them as their blood spattered underneath the crystal land and began to fall backwards towards death, dodging the flying bullet as my sole purpose right now to kill all of them before they're call for backup cause trust me, it won't be pretty. A bullet pierced onto my left shoulder, and I throw the empty PSICOM gun over the culprit, knocking him down before taking my gunblade as I shifted it into its gun mode, "Shit! That's hurt!" I cursed and fired at the other behind him.

Within seconds, I had felled five solders before more magic swam through my body as I felt the pain of my injuries began to subside and heal itself. I turned to the source of it and smiled at the silver haired boy who grin at me as his arms withdrew to his side, "Thanks, Hope!" I thanked him with my proud smile before raising my gunblade to kill the remaining soldier.

"I thought they'd tougher than that" said Sazh after finished killing all the PSICOM group and crouched over the corpse to exam it, "These guys are PSICOM, yeah? Supposed to be cream-of-the-crop"

"I'll say" I frowned and placed a hand onto Hope's silver locks as I ruffled it affectionate for his help earlier which cause the boy to flush at the action before giving me a huge grin, "But I guess the Lady Luck is on our side now"

"Cut the crap. Their grunts might be green but PSICOM's elites are cold-blooded beasts. They hit the field and it's game over" Lightning cut in as she crossed her arms against her chest and glared at the bloody corpse surround us. Snow opened his mouth but luckily Vanile spoke first (much for my please), saying "Oh-oh! Then let's run away. Ciao!" and took off, bouncing onwards like a hyper child who take too much sugar inside her food as Sazh called out for the young lady, "Hey, Wait up!"

I chuckled and shook my head in amused at the duo as I followed them with Hope walking beside me like a lost puppy, but I guess I like his presence as he constant remind me of my younger self who earn for fatherly love or a brother. I could see Vanille hurried ahead and began to lightly shove Hope to catch up with the younger girl as he follow her quickly, leaving me, Sazh, Snow and Lightning behind as we watched out for the kids.

"It's not right. Why'd kids have to get dragged into this mess?" Sazh expressed his sadness over the matter as he watched the children gloomily.

"I guess, we have to try our best to keep them out of trouble" I smiled at the elder man in support and give him a pat on his back to ease his dark mood. From the look of him, I could tell he had a past regarding his child but I decided to let it slide, not wanting to bring back the sad memories as I watched them running ahead of us.

"Don't worry, I'll keep the kids out of trouble!" said Snow as he pointed to himself.

"That's the problem. You're one of them"

I scoffed and eventually laugh at them as I shook my head.

"Hey!"

"Trying to take on the Pulse fal'Cie, that's was our first mistake" Sazh said, ignoring the blonde outburst as he watched them in the distance, "Should have left it to the Sanctum"

"-or me" I added helpfully with a playful smile.

"HEY! COME ON!"

Vanille waved at us, beckoning us towards her as she grabbed Hope's hand and waved it for him. I chuckled and grinned at the enthusiasm of the youngster as I quicken my pace for them, "My, youngster this day. Too energetic for themselves" I mumbled.

"Or maybe you too old for that"

"Hey!"

Us men laughed for the joke and resume our quest in finding more information of our Focus among the ruin buildings surround us. I let them walking ahead of me as I slowly walked beside the pinkette leaving behind and glanced sideway to her, "Everything will be alright, you know…" I murmured softly to her, letting no one hearing our little talk as I give her a warm smile adorned my lips, "As long as there's hope. Everything is possible"

"…"

"…Just keep believing in it and you're find your way" slowly turning to other with a smile, "After all, you're Light" I said and walked away from her towards the silver haired boy but not after I heard a soft yet clear voice coming from her as she passed me to take a lead once again, "Thank you…" and lifted up my gaze to her back, placing a smile for her words.

"You're welcome…"

Not far ahead from our journey, we encountered a group of mechanical beasts roaming around the place and such enemies were standard for the Sanctum, posing no real threat to us. I mean, it's common for the Sanctum to create bioweapons from living creature combined with technology, combination that given the military to fully control over the creatures and to behold when utilized in force. So, I guess they're kind of crazy like a mad scientist in the old movie.

"I guess they're hunting down Purge survivors now" Snow guessed after defeating a group of Pantherons around us before standing straight to face the damage we cost. We continued our journey for a while, taking out groups of PSICOM here and there inside the building as the Cie'th disappeared into the thin air without a trace.

"Do you think Serah's down here?" I couldn't help but asked to ease the silence between us before we come upon a more open area and stepped onto the carriage of one of the Purge trains buried deeply underneath the crystalize plane, "The train fell too. I wonder what else is down here" asked Vanille as she looked down at the ground beneath us.

"Food maybe? I've been skipping my breakfast earlier" I added and looking down as well to hunt for edible thing, "Nope, there's nothing edible around here. Such a shame though!" I pouted and got up to cross my arms against my chest stubbornly.

We kept on as there were two carriages still linked and one formed a ramp leading onto a ridge. Lightning who lead the way down suddenly gasped as she frozen in place. I paused beside her and looked down in surprised for the sight. on the tip of the ridge was a cluster of crystal and in the centre of it was Serah.

"Serah…" she said quietly with relief emitted from her voice for her sister safety.

She started to walk towards her but Snow who heard her name instantly pushed her aside roughly and run ahead of us, crying out his lover's name. He crouched in front of the beautiful crystalize maiden and caressed her her face lovingly as the rest of us began to approached slowly. He grasped her cold frozen hand and squeezed, "I'll get you out of there!" he said and looked around to find something to get his lover out from the icy ground. Snatching up a long, sharp metal pole lying on the ground, he began to claw his way through the crystal at the base of the frozen Serah's shell.

The orange haired girl rushed over him and started to help him with a sharp pick of her own, digging furiously, "I'll help you" she said brightly to the blonde man. Sazh also joined the effort as Snow give a quick _'thanks'_ before returning to his task in hand. I stood there and watched them as they work themselves up to free her before a mutter of _'goodbye'_ behind me caught my ears as I turned around to see Lightning walking away with her back to us.

"Lightning?" Snow asked as he turned to see her, "You're just gonna leave her?"

"PSICOM will be here soon. If they find us, we're all dead. You think Serah would want that? You think you know how she feels?" she said without turning around to face them. My gaze softened for her as I took a step forwards and gently placed a consoling hand onto her thin shoulder, "Light-"

"If I leave her, I'll never know" Snow cut in, still remaining where he was, "We'll be fine. I can handle anything they throw at us. No one will die. I'll protect Serah. And Cocoon!"

Lightning turned slowly as I withdrew my hand back to my side and watched her took long strides to Snow, studying him for a second before giving him a punch in the face, "Does she look protected to you?" she snapped loudly as Snow fell onto the ground, accidently knocking Sazh over in the process.

"Lightning…" I murmured and took an initiative to calm her down from beating the man into pulp but sadly I was ignored… again.

"I can save her!" Snow yelled and got back onto his feet but only to be sprawled once again by her heavy blow, "What can you possibly do?" she shouted back, arm tensed for another strike on his face. I couldn't take this any longer and grabbed her shoulder to face me, "Snap out of it, Lightning!" I said, "Just calm down dammit! It's not the end of the world! You two are arguing like a bunch of kids over a toy! Behave yourself!"

"What do you know?! You're just an outsider!"

"Because I'm your friend!"

Lightning mouth instantly shut as she watched me silently without a word while the rest of us watched on, afraid to interfere until Sazh waved his arms, saying "You guys are hopeless" and walked away as Snow picked up his crude ice pick to continue his hacking the crystal. I sighed in defeat and slowly let go off her, "I'm sorry" turning away as I walked back to the background, standing beside Hope who looked at me concernedly.

"You just can't it admit it. You want to stay as much as he does" Sazh said to her.

I silenced in deep thought before the sound of Sazh yelling widly caught my dazing attention as I turned to see him flailing his arms with a bright spotlight trained on to him. It didn't take long to locate the source. On the train carriage behind him, perched a Sanctum machine, similar to a scorpion based on its design with white, heavy armour concealed it.

"No, no, no, not now!" the afro haired man yelled.

Lightning drew her gunblade and ran towards Sazh, falling into a fightning stance behind him as the rest of us followed, preparing for the upcoming battle towards us. I take out my gunblade and stood beside the ex-Guardian Cops as the machine launched itself off the carriage and landed before us. I turned and saw Hope who was too near with the machine instantly pulled backwards as I grabbed his arm.

"Thanks, Adrian"

"No problem. Be careful next time"

The rest of us took up our position and faced it with our weapon tightly within our grasp. That machine known as Manasvin Warmech lowered its massive head down to our level. The six of launched a series of attacks when suddenly its head spilt in half as I gasped, "Oh, shit!" I cursed as a beam of light began to generate between the two halves.

The beam of the searing energy finally being released as it swung its head sideway. I slid underneath it to avoid the burning lights as Lightning flipped over it. Vanille and Snow combined their effort and launched several magic attacks, mixing it up into combo to beat the machine, giving an opening for Lightning and I to deliver a killing blow.

I dashed forwards, shifting my gunblade into its blade mode and fully swing towards it when the Warmech swept its long tail, hitting my side and throw me across the area. I smashed into the crystal wall and fell down onto the ground, causing the crystal boulder collapse onto me instantly, trapping my lower part as I groaned in pain for the impact.

Snow instantly shield me from its attack with his l'Cie magic when he sensed the Warmech heading towards me and throw it off before returning to fight it. I struggled to free myself when a warm sensation flooding my aching limbs, healing it before an enormous force of wind blowing the boulder away from me. Hope who was at the back of the party helped me up as he support my aching body onto his smaller figure and dragged me away to heal me.

"You're alright, Adrian?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Go, help the others!"

Hope left me behind as I tried to regain my losing strength and looked up at the machine with determination, "You're one hell of a machine!" I grinned sadistically and got up into my shaky feet, dashing forwards with my gunblade as I swung onto its head, earning a roar for my accomplishment.

"Adrian, grab its tail!" Lightning shouted over the sound of battle to me as I run and give a nod in acknowledgement for her instruction. When the Warmech swung its tail to Snow who was in defensive stance, I jumped at it and hooked my legs around it before stabbing its tail into the ground with my gunblade, "Yes!" I cheered softly before pulling multiply blades from my pouch behind me and continued to stab its tail, pinning it onto the ground.

After making sure that the tail kept in place, I grabbed my gunblade and went to assist the other to kill it. Blows after blows were given by us and the Warmech finally shuddered as I took it as a good sign for us and Lightning took the opportunity to leap onto its back and impaled her gunblade into its head, killing it once and for all.

"Finally!" I sighed in relief and went to retrieve my precious blades, placing it back into my pouch, "I glad that was over" I murmured and changed my gunblade into its gun mode before putting it back into my holster.

Lightning turned and began to walk away but was stopped by Snow's large frame blocking her track, "You're leaving?" he demanded as he crossed his arms against his chest. I looked over them two and turned back to Serah's crystallize form, grasping the importance of getting away here as soon as possible to avoid PSICOM but I knew, Snow would never left his fiancée behind.

"We want to help Serah too" Sazh sighed, "But without tools… we could be digging for days" trying to reasoning with him, "The army's on our trail. For now, we've got to keep moving. For now"

"So, I just abandon her, and save myself?"

"What about your Focus?" Lightning asked coldly.

Snow looked at her, trapping by his own promise as he looked down onto the ground in moment of thought, "What happened to banding together and saving the world? Isn't that what you promised? Now you want to forget it all and die right here?" said the pinkette as she glared at the bulky blonde, causing him to keep silence over the matter.

"Snow" she sighed, "You're nothing but talk" and walked past him as he frozen in his place. Neither did the rest of us. I for my opinion agree with her but she's a little harsh to the poor man.

"Lightning!"

She stopped but didn't turn around as she waited for him to continue, "I'll do whatever it takes" Snow said, "I'll finish this Focus… and keep Serah safe. That's my promise"

Lightning's next words were cold and indifferent, "Great job so far" and continued walking away from him. Sazh was next, walking up to him as he patted his shoulder, "Stay out of trouble" Snow said with a smile to the older which he returned with his own, "You too" and went to join her.

The youngsters stood there for a moment in hesitation, "Get going" encouraged Snow to them and pointed over his shoulder. Vanille went first but stopped when she reached him, "later" he said.

"Okay!" and followed Sazh and Lightning which quickly followed by Hope but stopped as well just passed him, turning to face him, "Snow…" He began but couldn't continue. Hope seemed stammered for a bit before Snow snapped him from his daze, saying "Save it for next time, kiddo. You'll get left behind"

Hope again began to move before turning back to Snow, "But…"

"It's okay, Hope. Light will take care of you. We'll meet again" He grinned.

"Yeah… Count on it" and hurried after Vanille in the distance.

Snow turned his gaze to me and smirked as I grinned, "Take care of yourself, Snow" I said, "And kick the PSICOM dog butt for me"

"Hahaha… will do, Kid! Take care of yourself"

I winked and shook my head as we laughed for the last time, shaking our hand before giving him a quick pat on the pack as I passed him, "Good luck, mate!" then went to catch up with the others ahead of me. Hope glanced back at Snow and I placed my hand on his silvery locks affectionately, "Don't worry, he'll be fine" I whispered gently to assure him as I give him my warm smile, "We'll see him soon enough!"

"Ok"

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"Lightning… its flashes bright then its fade away. It can't protect but only destroy… that's what I thought my name was, but unlike what you called me. You called me Light, Éclair… the light that will always shine in the depth of your shadow heart… and I would anything to keep that way. I'll be your light in the darkness"

*Lightning Farron*

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**A/N:** One word. Review!


	3. Chapter 2: Survivor Instinct

_**Final Fantasy XIII:**_

_**Darkness Light**_

_**By**_

_**Skylight96**_

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_**Summary:**_

Darkness had been nothing but my companion ever since the day I was born. Blinding from the light around me as I fell deeply into the shadows surround my existence but yet… light could still reach me since the day I meet her… my light…

My name is Adrian Heathcliff and this is my story…

_**Disclaimer:**_

I don't own Final Fantasy XIII and the plot reference by Garrett 67.

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_**Chapter 2:**_

_**Survival Instinct**_

…

"I had a bad feeling about leaving the kid alone" murmured Sazh concernedly as he shifted his attention to me for my opinion which I returned it with a soft pat on his back, trying to ease his tension on his crinkle face, saying "It's alright. It's his choice anyway" smiling softly before turned away to see the pink haired woman leading the group, "He's a hero after all"

"But… don't you think we should've… made him come with us?" asked Vanille as she turned to me questionably, having doubt about our decision of leaving the man behind to the PSICOM.

I shook my head with a soft smile adorned on my lips, "Nothing would have made him leave his fiancée behind. But I wouldn't worry about him so much. He can take care of himself. Right, Lightning?" as I asked to the silent pinkette which she totally ignored it much for my encouragement of pulling her into our conversation.

"Hey, maybe they won't find him!"

"Maybe, Vanille…"

Sash snorted and shook his head in defeat regarding the matter, "He's a bit hard to miss. Guess all we can do is pray he makes it out okay"

"Amen!" I nodded in agreed as I silently pray for his safety and wishing to meet each other again one day. I looked up to the ex-Guardian Cops far ahead of us and hurried to catch up the pace as I thought about Snow's confrontation with the pinkette. I know she's still grieving, I could feel the sadness around him but I knew Lightning well… She was a practical woman, proven by her decision of leaving Serah and Snow to their fate. In this game of survival, weak means death…so we have to move on, trying to be strong as we could in order to survive. That's one of the principal taught in SHADOW as well in PSICOM and Guardian Cops. Survival Instinct.

Finally, we encountered a large group of Terraquatics, a small frog-like creature (which kind of disgusting in my opinion anyway) that brought their prey down as a group and took them out easily. I shifted my gunblade back into its gun mode before Sazh called out to me, looking a little anxious about it, "Err… You're a SHADOW right?"

"Yeah?"

"I mean. You would know all their plans and how they might try to catch us since you're sent to destroy this place right?"

I blinked, "Oh!" and frowned as I hummed in deep thought, "Well, I guess first thing would be set up a perimeter" thinking about the usual point-of-view of an enemy as I glanced around, "Then hit squad roaming around the perimeter in hopes of finding any clue of the enemies. Some would have a tracking device to find it. But don't worry much, it's all depend on how far the Sanctum's willing to go to catch us. I don't think they would go such length in order to find us…"

"Don't worry!" cheered the enthusiasm orange haired girl as she skipped over to us, "They won't find us if we move silent enough!" then skipped away, humming a cheerful tone as she glanced around the unknown place in fascination.

I scratched my head at her departure and laughed lightly at her positive spirit before turned around to the older man beside me with a comfort pat onto his back, "I guess that girl right. I'm sure they won't find us" as Sazh chuckled weakly but firmly believe it as shown in his gaze, "I hope so…"

After hours and hours of walking (for me but it's only half an hour), we came across a large chasm in the crystal, with a large, black tube stretching across the gap, "OMG! I'm not crossing this!" I shook my head furiously, hugging a metal pole beside it in fear as I looked down to the endless pit below. I gulped my saliva nervously and looked up ahead to see Lightning and Vanille already across the tube-like bridge, leaving me, Sazh and Hope behind. Talk about Woman's power!

"It's only scary if you look down!" Vanille called out towards us as I sweating anxiously about it. I know it's pathetic, I mean what kind of Assassin scared of height? Me, of course. My hands were shaking as I looked up at the girls in fear, "I-I can't! It's scary!" yup, I'm pathetic alright.

Lightning stopped her track and sighed in defeat as she turned around to meet me, "Either you crossed it or you're left behind. Your choice"

"B-but… it's too high!"

"…Adrian"

"I scared of high!"

Lightning gritted her teeth and took a drastic measure I never thought in my life she would be doing. She walked back across the tube and grabbed my hand as she pulled me to cross it forcefully. I gulped and slowly squeezed her hand in search of comfort as I looked up towards her beautiful pink locks, admiring her view from behind and slowly descended down from the tube. It surprise me that she also returned it with her own squeeze and finally let go of our hand before headed out again to lead the way. I stared at her in surprised but slowly smiled as I followed her along with the others, "Thank you…" I murmured after I managed to walk aside with her which she returned it with a nod.

"…You're welcome"

Suddenly, there's a cracking sound above me, and I looked up to see a small chip of crystal hit me in the eye, "Ow! Okay, I'm hurt now!" I said, rubbing my ached eyes as I took the crystal away. I pouted and blushed furiously when I remembered the others were around me to witness my embarrassment which I looked down to find something interesting on my boots as Sazh trying unsuccessfully to stop himself from laughing to death, Vanille giggling madly to herself, Hope grinning like a grinning cat in Alice in the Wonderland and lastly Lightning who managed to crack a smile at the event.

"Not funny, guys!" I growled and absently rubbed the sore spot of the fallen crystal chip, trying to stop the unstopping laughter but only to be turned down as I could still hear Sazh sniggered quietly at me. I glared at the afro man and throw him the crystal chip in revenge, "Feel my revenge Afro man!" I exclaimed, aiming for his head which he successfully dodge and guess where it end up to?

If you're thinking Lightning…

-then you're right my friend.

I gasped in horror when the crystal chip hit her… erm… ass and frozen in place along with the others in our little party, watching for the ex-Guardian reaction of the action. She stopped and slowly turned around with her icy gaze, glaring deathly at me as I gulped down my saliva nervously and took a step back, "I-!"

…

A few minutes after…

I finally successfully managed to stay alive from the beating of the dangerously pinkette and walked cautiously behind her as I sent the older man an evil eyes for my misfortunate which he ignored and laughed about it in my face.

"Still couldn't talk to him?" I heard Vanille's voice asking the younger boy beside her in the edge of my sight which I totally ignored it to give the youngster some privacy, "You'll never get past this if you don't say something"

"Words won't change anything" Hope replied, "But next time we meet, he'll learn exactly how I feel" somehow feeling his eyes lingered to me, "At least someone tried to change that" looking down to his hand, "even though he fail…"

I perplexed over the exchange briefly, wondering the meaning behind the words but decided that whatever they were talking about they would share with us adult when they were ready… but I couldn't help had this feeling that Hope was talking about me with the way he looked at me quietly as he talked with Vanille.

_**I wonder what…**_

Ahead of us was a long wide bridge and at the end of it was a wall of crystal, blocking our path to the other side of the chamber, "Dead end" I murmured, standing beside Lightning who stared at the crystal as if she could shattered it with her laser like gaze but I think she could, if she get enough time that's it.

"Hey!"

I turned at the voice of the young girl and saw Vanille waving her arms while pointing at the wreckage of one of the Sanctum's warship that still buried under the crystal. Lightning and I went up to examine it, "I think it's still working" I said after take a quick look at its dented and cracked exterior. Like people said, don't judge a book by its cover.

"It will" agreed Lightning as I watched her climbed up to the gun attached to the ship and swiped at it with her gunblade, firing as the wall of crystal slowly break down into dust.

"Nice…" I praised her as she rejoined us which she returned it with a mere nod as I looked up once more at the warship in wonder, "I guess Lady Luck do in our side after all" I muttered to myself, thinking of all the luck we have along our journey to freedom. We crossed the bridge and went through a long crystal corridor which opened up onto a wide expanse of frozen waves. In the middle of it were a giant mechanical behemoth with huge claws and sharp pointy teeth (like any other monster), green armour and two long tendrils writhing from the base of its head.

"Ok, I take it back" I said, drawing my gunblade as the others prepared for battle, "Lady Luck isn't on our side anymore!"

"It's a good experience, though" said the orange haired girl, pulling out her weapon as she flashed me a smile in encouragement.

I shook my head in defeat and sprung to my target, dodging the swipe of the Behemoth's muscle foreleg and craved a deep cut into its vulnerable belly before rolling away to avoid its attacks. As Vanille and Sazh began to attack it with magic, Lightning dashed forward and lunged as I took covered for her. The Behemoth moved surprisingly fast (despise its bulky figure) and dodged sideway from the blade that Lightning intended to impale into the beast's head instead of piercing its large shoulder.

Lightning wasn't fazed by it and launched herself again, dragging her blade across the beast's back. As for me, well… let just said I do a great job of creating a series of cuts into its right foreleg and side, making it immobile for a moment for Lightning to deliver a finishing blow. The Behemoth roared and began to retreat , limping on its injured leg but Sazh decided to end it as he filled his twin pistols with magic energy and fired a series of fire-enhanced bullets flew into the beast's head, killing it as it become a mass of flesh and machinery being burned.

"I think I'm getting the hang of this whole magic thing" Sazh said as he holstered his pistols with a huge proud grin for himself in battle. Even I couldn't help but praised him for his excellent skills, "Good" Lightning said, sheathing her own weapon and turned away, "We'll need to be strong if we want to make it out here in one piece"

"Weak means death huh?" I asked her with she returned it with a nod, "…Survival of the fittest" she murmured, looking back at me knowingly as I smiled at the words and couldn't help but touched the golden brand craving on my black trench coat near my chest. The SHADOW logo.

"Basic survival instinct…"

As the memories of my training flashed inside my mind before a soft pale hand also touched the same place where my hand lingered on, causes me to lift up my gaze to meet a pair of soft icy blue eyes as she caressed the golden tread on my chest, "You must be remembering your survival test…" looking sadly as I smiled, returning her touch as I looked at the yellow strip marking her rank in Guardian Cops, "So are you…" I murmured softly, looking down to the ground, "But memories are nothing but weakness…" as I recalled my superior words, "Weakness could lead to death and death could lead to nothing" pulled away as I fisted my hand, "So, it's better to hide the memories in the deep of your mind or worse… forget everything. You're a tool. A puppet to destroy the enemies"

"That's what they taught you…"

I nodded as I meet her emotionless icy gaze, "My whole life…" with my eyes began to darken as I glared at nothingness before me, "That's my belief… Don't you?" I asked, looking up at her questionably with a sadistic smirk on my solemn face.

Silence swallowed us as Lightning slowly withdrew her hand and turned away, avoiding the spoken question of as she leaded the way. I looked up at her retreating figure before Sazh came by and stood next to me in wonder for the pinkette, "What's up with you guys?" he asked, glancing between us as I smirked and walked away to follow her, "Just a little chat about the past"

"Oh? You know each other?"

"A soldier always knows the other soldier. We have the same belief in life… and the same goals…" looking up thoughtfully as I thought about my past life within the SHADOW, "But some soldiers are different as they change their belief in life hence making them lose the purpose and act as a tool"

Sazh's gaze slowly softened as he patted my shoulder consoling, "Then you must be lose your purpose huh, kid?" he asked knowingly with his fatherly gaze as I smiled sadly for his words and looked down onto the ground.

"All my life…"

The sound of ships rent into the air caught my attention as I instinctively ducked, looking ahead of me as the others were lying onto the ground while Lightning and Sazh prone on the edge of the cliff, peering at something in the valley below. I hurried over them and followed their gaze, crouching down to avoid being spotted by the enemies. In the centre of a mass of PSICOM soldiers was a gigantic battleship, surrounded by the smaller one and some cruisers.

"Look at that" Sazh said, pointing at the PSICOM lurking around the area, "They're sending cruisers, pre-march must be sweating bullets, mobilizing ships like that. They must be hunting down Purge survivor" before Vanille and Hope finally joined us to see it.

"I hope everyone made it out okay" said Vanille worriedly.

"So do I…" I agreed, looking at the passing soldier below sadly, "But nowhere is safe for them now…" as I hung my head down guiltily.

"That's right! Just because they shared a neighbourhood with a fal'Cie… they get treated like Pulse-tainted rats" barked Sazh with his eyes darken at the sight.

"People really hate Pulse, don't they?" Vanille asked quietly.

"Not hate…" I murmured, "More like fear. Ten of millions of people all scared of Pulse fal'Cie"

"But… they Purged that entire town!" argued Vanille.

"It's crazy, I know. But the Sanctum fal'Cie did nothing to stop it" said the elder man as his voice took a depressed tone within every words he spoke before looking down to the crystalized ground darkly, "Up until now, Eden's always stepped in to correct their errors in judgement. Guess human aren't worth the effort" he sighed, "Figure they'll let us kill each other off"

Behind me, Hope stood.

"l'Cie are not human" he said.

I turned to him sadly and walked towards the young boy, "Listen here, Hope" I murmured, kneeling in front of him as I grabbed his marked wrist gently, "What make you say that l'Cie are not human?" I asked, rubbing the mark of the l'Cie on his, "We breathe. We feel. We talk. We walk. We smile. We cry. We die. Isn't that human enough? We have souls. We have minds. We're not a puppet. We made our own destiny. Don't let the fal'Cie control our life. This is our freedom. Once we complete our Focus, we're free. Just keep on believing and you'll find your way" smiling warmly at the young lad as I patted his silver locks affectionately, "Trust me…"

Vanille who standing beside us, nodded in agree for my words as she wiped the tears that had been pooling on the lids of her eyes and placed her hand onto the boy shoulder in support, "Adrian is right!" she cheered, looking at the others among us with her smile, "We're still alive. That's something!"

Suddenly, the ground began to shake as I braced myself.

"What-?"

"Where is it?"

"I don't know-"

The five of us looked up, trying to find the source of the sudden earthquake.

"There!" Lightning called out as she looked up, catching my attention from the boy as I saw several cruisers soared passed us.

"They're sealing the area off!" I shouted, "They're trying to trap the stragglers! We've got to get moving before we're caught in the net!" and got to my feet as I help the others out.

"WE HAVE TO MOVE!"

We moved among the hallways and chambers, trying to avoid as much as we could from the PSCIOM soldier's patrolling area to reduce battling with them and wasting our time, "Do you even know where you're going?" I asked to Lightning as we climbed higher, leaping from ledge to ledge following her lead.

"Lake Breshe was surrounded by towns before the War of Transgression. I think the closest one is that way" she replied, pointing in the distance to our left.

"I see… But won't it be crawling with soldier?"

"Exactly" smiled the ex-Guardian cop, "It's also where they'll keep the ships. We can hijack one and get out of here"

"…You're one crazy hell of a woman, Light"

As we moved closer to what was left of the glorious towns, more debris appeared in our path, sometime even blocking the routes (much of my displease in wasting my effort of jumping and crawling underneath it) and forcing us to detour around them. what worse if these detours put us within the PSICOM range! Sucks man!

"How much further?" I whined as I climb up yet another cliff with a pout on my lips.

"It can't be far, now" answered the leader of our party.

"Please let it be food on the ship" I pleaded under my breath as my stomach made its point by growling the hunger alarm.

We ran… and guess what? Another cliff! Yeah! (note the sarcasm… please) as Vanille hurried ahead to admire the spectacular view. Meh, even I couldn't help but enjoyed it as well.

"The whole place is crystal!" exclaimed the cheery girl as she pointed it out to us.

Sazh walked up to the young girl and looked out at the crystal expanse, "I wonder what it would be like…" trailing off with an amuse smile on his face, "To be a crystal, I mean"

"I don't know" I shrugged as I stood beside him, "Maybe staying young for eternity?"

Sazh scoffed and shook his head as he slapped my head, "Hmph! You and age"

Vanille turned to us and tilted her head to the side, "You guys gonna complete your Focus?"

"Of course" I answered and crossed my arms against my chest as I thought about it thoughtfully, "I mean after all we've been through, we'll get our freedom back right? Eternity doesn't sound that bad"

The rest of us were silenced, all thinking about eternity life given by the fal'Cie. What if we were wrong?

"Hey, Lightning!" called the orange haired girl to the older woman, "Did Serah say anything to you about her Focus"

The owner of the name sighed and shook her head sadly, "Nothing"

"Oh…" murmured the girl solemnly before dashing in front of the grief-filled face of the ex-Guardian Cop to ease her sadness, saying "Maybe she didn't want to worry you-"

"Or maybe she just… didn't think she could trust me"

Then, it all finally dawned to me. It must be hard for her to have dealing with the loss of her sister, Snow's insensitive belief that she could be save and the unknown destiny that she had to be faced- that all of us have to face… how does one cope with all that? I frowned at the gloomy thought and continued our walked in silenced with Lightning leading the way and Hope trailing behind us.

We finally emerged from a cavern to see the remains of the town and all that was left was a huge gate with some archways that were surrounded by ruins, "Whoa" I said, peering around me at the crumbling pillars and wall.

"This place must have looked real nice in its hey-day" said Sazh as he pursed his lips.

"Tell me about it!" I nodded in agreed.

"Let's go!" Lightning called to us men from the distance as we both sighed in defeat for the woman's order.

"I guess sightseeing isn't high on her list of priorities" I whispered to Sazh who grinned at my childish antics and moved on as we fallen deeply into our conversation. Just like I guessed, the ruins were filled with soldiers, and a few bioweapons (like I said, crazy scientist). There was a Behemoth that we successfully managed to skirt around undetected. Yeah! (thumbs up people!)

"Even the flames turned to crystal" Sazh said as he motioned to a cluster of red crystals that clearly (obviously) used to be fire, "This is ridiculous!" and shook his head in disbelieve. I tapped the crystal and chuckled in amused.

We came across a large group of PSICOM soldiers that was being leaded by one of the elites. The elite was much taller than the rest, even me! But it all thanks to the uniform which was almost regal in design. Meh! Shows off. Even SHADOWS doesn't have that fancy uniform. We're given a long black trench coat with SHADOW's seal on it. Talk about stingy.

"Those must be our cold-blooded beast" muttered the afro man as he looked at the leader, "They use some sort of devised for their magic. I don't think it's the same as the l'Cie stuff"

"It's not" I told him firmly, "PSICOM uses man drives to create magic, similar to AMP technology. But it's not as strong as l'Cie magic. Like I said, they all have a bunch of crazy mad scientists in PSICOM"

"Good to know" Lightning said as she crouched lower to view the army from our hideout, "That'll give us an advantage"

Yup! Another point for her practicality.

There was an old corridor that was barricaded by the fallen debris but there seemed to be enough space for us to get through (bliss my skinniness) and emerged on the other side as we dusted down our clothes and wiping the grime from our faces.

I pursed my lips as the small cuts on my cheek and jolted in surprised at the hand rubbing my cuts with a quick healing spell before turned to the side to meet Vanille, "There! All heal!"

"Thanks, milady" I said and playfully bowed like a pure gentleman as I rubbed the unmarked skin, "You're good"

A soft giggle escaped from her mouth and nodded her head, saying "Thanks!" and bounced off to the others.

Man, how much sugar did the girl ate? I mean, how could she be so… optimistic? To me, our situation was all but hopeless, and we were just postponing the inevitable. Even if we DID escape from the Sanctum's net, it was either complete our Focus and turned into crystal or become a Cie'th (which I totally against it *shiver*) either way, there didn't seem too many bright spots on the horizon. Talk about Positive thinking.

We approached a set of stairs (Ugh!) and began to climb as a chill creeping into the air, sending goose bump onto my neck. Scary!

"Something's making the hairs on my neck stand up!" Sazh said as he glanced around the place.

"You've got to stop worrying, Sazh!" said the girl exasperatedly, "or you'll got more wrinkle in your face"

"Nu-uh, kid! I'm getting the 'something-bad's-gonna-happen-and-it's-scaring-the-shit-out-of-me' vibe too" I agreed with the afro man as I placed my hand onto my weapon in case of emergency.

"We outran 'em" Vanille tried to console me (which I didn't believed it as long as the dangerous vibe still crawling inside me), "We'll be okay now"

The stairs opened into a large square space with arches surrounding three sides with crystal fire decorated the entire area. Vanille gasped audibly and running around the area as she examined everything she found.

"Stay close!" I warned at the excited girl as I watched her ran ahead of us adult.

"I want to look around!" she shouted back, slowly disappearing from our sight.

"Ugh! Youngster" sighed Sazh as he shook his head in displeased.

"Tell me about it" I nodded in agreed as I surveyed the unknown area for any threats. Lightning sighed with an annoyed look on her face and turned around to me as if she's about to say something when Vanille's scream of terror made us all look in the direction she been gone through. I narrowed my dark eyes to take a better look and saw she was running back towards us with a bioweapon chasing her from behind. Well, that's just great! (rolling my eyes internally of course!) and pulled out my gunblade ready to fight.

The creature that was flying, swooping towards the ground in an attempt to catch the running girl who luckily managed to dodge out of the way and causes the beast to crash into the wall before it. Ouch!

But sadly, the collision did nothing to stop it. (Aww~)

It roared and flew towards us in alarming speed. I glared at the Garuda Interceptor (the bioweapon) and shifted my gunblade into its gun mode as I turned on my battle-façade. I raised my hand to the girl and pulled her behind me as I shoot the beast away, "Get cover!"

The girl nodded shakily and run towards the back of our group to let us adult to take care of the problem. I crouched down underneath its tail and jumped backward between Lightning and Sazh as I shoot its body, "Next time, please listen to adult when you're about to do something stupid, Vanille" I scolded the young lady over the flapping of wings.

"O-Okay!"

Lightning ran swiftly towards it and sidestepped as the Interceptor lunged forward with its neck while snapping its jaw threateningly. The ex-Guardian Cops dodged and swung her blade to cut the beast open. Sazh was already firing his pistols beside me and leaving a trail of bullet-holes onto its wing. Me? I dashed forward at it and recognised it with a taint of I'Cie magic as the monster collapsed onto the ground, unable to lift its wing by my gravitational spell.

I jumped and brought my blades down to kill it when the creature swept its neck onto me, knocking me over onto the wall. I grunted at the impact and was on my feet almost instantly as I looked up at it angrily, "Stupid lizard!" I grumbled and dashed forwards… again.

My gravitational spell began to wear off and that soon-to-be-dead lizard was in the air again but there's no way I'm letting that beast go again. So, I jumped as high as I could with my blade pointing away from me to its wing. I cut through the thin membrane on its wing and send the Interceptor sank to its side as I impaled more blades into it. Adrian-1, Lizard-0!

As I withdrew the blades, Lightning used the opportunity to slash at it then flip away. Her gunblade shifted into its gun mode and shoot her endless bullet at the creature. The Inceptor roared in agony and swung its uninjured wing at me. I tried to flip over it but the wing was much too big to be avoided and sent me crashing to floor. Adrian-1, Bastard lizard-1! Harsh!

As I was crashing to the floor, I suffered a moment of confusion. I mean, I felt the impact but isn't it supposed to be painful. It barely winded me. It took me a moment to understand as I turned to side to see Hope cast a protection spell that been shielding me and grinned as he saw me unharmed. I sent the boy a grateful smile and stood up once again to return to the battle field.

When I was about to prepare myself for another blow, the Interceptor turned and flew back away from us, crashing through fiery crystal and crumbling ruin alike into another area.

"It's charging up" said Lightning as the spread its wings and began to glow.

"Charging? What are you talking about? Charging for what?" Sazh cried, uncertain for the event that about to unfold. I frowned as a white light began to surround the lizard with electricity crackling in the air around it.

"Its last moment" I breathed out, finally understood the reason behind its action as I rushed forwards to stop it. Lightning run right behind me as the Interceptor had a final attack to perform when it was reaching the end of its life and the attack would probably kill us along within unless we finished it first.

Lightning ran, faster than I could ever imagine. She was the first to reach the lizard-like bioweapon and then jumped as high as she could just as the light began collected on the centre of its mouth. It opened its jaw wide as it could and flew higher from the ground. Lightning wasn't going to make it. I knew it. She would probably be right at the centre of the energy beam.

Still running ahead to help her, I dropped my blades onto the ground and held out my hands in front of me with my palms opened. The energy burst from them as a mighty gust of wind propelled the ex-Guardian Cops up towards the Interceptor as she delivered her final blow. The light vanished, the wings dropped and Lightning wrenched her blade from the Interceptor's mouth as it collapsed onto the ground. Panting heavily for the enormous amount of magic used, I retrieved my weapon and holstered it.

"That… was a close one" I panted and turned to the fearless woman which she returned it with a nod.

"That was some quick thinking, kid" Sazh said, clapping me back in pride for my little trick out there.

"Yeah… Lucky break I guess" as I rubbed my aching back like an old man. Come on! The exertion from the battle had left my entire body aching. Give me a break, man…

"Let's not get into any more fight for a while, ok?"

Vanille giggled at my deadpanned look and then pointed behind us, saying "Hey! Check it out!" which causes all of us to turn.

There, at the edge of the ruin was a lone cruiser, still in a good condition despite the battle that had occurred around it.

"Come on" Sazh commanded as he approached the cruiser to investigate, "Hop to it, let's go!"

"Can you fly it?" I asked, walking towards the cruiser as I stretched out my aching arms above me. Well, I hope he could…because I'm totally not going to fly. I scared of the height remember?

"Yeah, I used to be an airship pilot, before this whole mess"

"Thanked god…"

"What's wrong, kid?"

I shook my head and shrugged it off, "Nothing…" stepping inside the cruiser, "Let's just go shall we?"

"I thought you scared of height" said Vanille as she looked at me weirdly along with Hope.

"Yeah… well, as long as we didn't crash. It's fine by me! Now! Onward my minion"

Lightning rolled her eyes at my childish antics and walked inside the cruiser as the ramp closed behind her. Blue skies, here I come!

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_**Review**_

…


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